I find myself wanting to try new recipes almost daily since the spring/summer produce seems to be lingering on here in Santa Barbara. I thought I was done with tomatoes but this recipe for a green tomato pie filling kept haunting me. What could that taste like? Why in the world would I put tomatoes in a pie? The other bonus reason to share was it doesn't require Clear Jel. The combination of these ingredients will create a thick pie filling all on their own.

Out of curiosity I emailed Julie, the produce director and CSA manager at Fairview Farms just to inquire if green tomatoes were still available. About a few hours later I was told that they would pick them from the field on Tuesday and have them ready for me. Service with a smile!

When I returned home with my box I prepped the recipe since I had a note from a FB follower to possibly make this recipe in a smaller quantity than the "about" 7 quart version. I worked out some of the quantities but ultimately it was short about a half pint of a whole quart. The good news though is that it went directly into the frig so that I could make pie today and try the incredible flavors in combination that went into the pot.

I am amazed at the depth of flavor that this recipe turned out. It taste like an apple pie but there are different bites and textures from the craisins and tomatoes that are not present in a traditional apple pie. The combination of spices with the addition of a bit of vinegar left a tartness that was lacking in sweet apple pies. You need to try this if you have never had one. Here is the recipe which make about 7 quarts.

Procedure: Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook slowly stirring often, until tender and slightly thickened (about 35 to 40 minutes). Fill jars with hot mixture, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims, adjust lids/rings and process quarts in a water bath for 15 minutes once the water has come back to a full boil.

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The gel point method is also noted in many cookbooks and is a process to test the gel of a jam, jelly or preserve. There are two methods of testing using a spoon or a plate.

SHEET TEST

Dip a cold metal spoon into the boiling soft spread. Lift the spoon and hold it horizontally with edge down so that the syrup runs off the edge. As the mixture cooks, the drops will become heavier and will drop off the spoon separately but two at a time. When the two drops join together and “sheet” off the spoon, the gel stage has been reached.

FREEZER TEST

Chill a small saucers in the freezer. Place a teaspoonful of soft spread on the chilled saucer and place in the freezer for 1 minute. Remove the saucer from the freezer and push the edge of the spread with your finger. A mixture that has reached the gel stage will be set, and the surface will wrinkle when the edge is pushed.